Bishop Eaton/ Jacob Blake Rally
Date of the Event: September 3rd
The gist of the event
This event is about how Bishop Eaton came to the Grace Welcome Center during the shooting of Jacob Blake. Bishop Eaton wanted to confront racism. This event was to confront racism and race for the people. Some people came to speak about things that have happened to them because of the color of their skin. Some of the guest speakers talked about how we should make the community better and how people need to do better.
What are the details?
The article said that White people should do a better job of understanding the underlying racism.
The Bishop came to the Grace Welcome Center to speak about how he felt.
The article said, "Or, we can choose to recognize the fact that what we used to call normal has not only been killing our Black and Brown siblings. Normal has been hurting us all."
People may say things are normal but if things are trying to be normal then why is it hurting people?
From the article, "White people should know -- should experience -- the pain that Black people have been experiencing for centuries."
People should speak about how they feel. I agree that people should experience the pain of different colored people because they were always put down because of the color of their skin.
"She shared how she had been judged before saying a word, how she's learned to fear police even though her father was a member of the Chicago Police Department and she herself served in the military."
Normal is not normal because people should not be afraid of policemen and women. They are supposed to protect us and make us feel safe. It is sad that someone has to learn how to fear and act around policemen even if you have family members in the police forces.
"I'm tired of feeling like I don't matter to some people because of the color of my skin. I'm tired of trying to make others see or hear that this is wrong. I'm definitely tired and fed up with Black people, sinner or saint, being brutalized and villainized out of fear and hate simply because of the color of our skin." - Sonja Wolfe
People should not have to make people see that something is wrong when they should notice it. You should not feel like you don't matter because of your skin. You should feel bad about who you are and who you were born to be. You were meant to be noticed and loved but when that is violated don't feel wanted. People should not look at someone and see the color of their skin they should see who they are on the inside and their personality.
Who was involved? How were they were involved?
Sonja Wolfe, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church: Spoke about her experiences with racism and how she feels about it. She shared about how she was afraid of policemen even though her father is a policeman in Chicago and she was in the military. She was taught to fear or to know how to act around policemen.
Rev. Elizabeth Eaton: One of the things she said was, "This is an existential threat and an existential reality for Black people and Brown people in the country, and it must be an essential threat for White people, too"
Rev. Paul Petersen: Spoke about how there needs to be more active on more things that need to get done. He said, “We can’t be satisfied with paint over plywood and slogans such as ‘Kenosha Strong,’”.
Rev. Kara Baylor: She is the pastor at Carthage college. She offered some suggestions specifically to white members. Rev. Kara Baylor says that people should educate themselves on race and racism, by joining peaceful protests and learning how systemic racism impacts policy — not all policies, but, for each person, “the thing you are called to do." She also spoke about, “Be open to a change of heart.”
“Only if we are honest about what is happening can we change the world. We are here to change the world, to change Kenosha, to change our hearts,”
Bishop Paul Erickson: Bishop Paul Erickson spoke about racism and how he also felt about it. He said, “Or, we can choose to recognize the fact that what we used to call normal has not only been killing our Black and Brown siblings. Normal has been hurting us all.” He mostly talked about what the community should do to do better and not just how to think about race and racism but to take responsibility for our actions and we ourselves should try to make things right. He talked about the “Path of Justice”, “Whites to educate themselves”, and “Kenosha must be different”.
Why is this event/moment important to the Uptown Community and greater Kenosha?
The uptown community was very sadly burned and took advantage of for no reason where children lived and OUR community members live. To greater Kenosha, we need and others need to take time and think about what is going on beyond their family but go deeper into other people's lives and what they go through every day, how they are treated differently because of the color of their skin or their race. This is important to the uptown community because the uptown community was taken down and beaten up but it is still standing and fighting for its community. All of the amazing speakers that spoke about racism and race have made a difference or are still making a difference. With this website, people can learn about not just the Grace Welcome Center but the people that spoke for our community and other communities that are facing these horrible things.
Sources:
Clergy_ We must confront racism _ News _ kenoshanews.com.pdf(Kenosha News Sept 3rd 2020)
(Religion News Service Sept. 3rd 2020)
Author of Web Page
Leila Sulaj an 8th Grader at Harborside Academy (May 2022)